All in a Day's Work

Well hello! Welcome to the first blog post of 2012! So far it’s been a great year for thing finding. The slide show features mostly spoils of one very successful day of treasure hunting. So I have a couple of stories to tell… A great day of treasure hunting, things that make me go absolutely insane when treasure hunting, going broke whilst having a great day treasure hunting, the good fortune that poverty brings, and a joke that goes back 30 years that my mom just told me today.

Well the pictures tell you all about a great treasure hunt. But the bad counter service? You need me to tell you that. OK, When I shop, I really shop. I’m fast. I make up my mind in an instant. And if there aren’t other buyers around, I want good service. As far as I’m concerned I’m an ideal customer. I want to buy 30 things in under 20 minutes. Nobody talks me into buying things. I have my debit card out before you have the total ready. If you give me the newspaper, I’ll wrap the items while the counter lady adds it up. I do everything to make it easy on the seller. AND I SPEND! So for the love of all that is vintage and tacky, can you at least sell me things in such a way that shows that you appreciate my business?? Here are some mistakes I saw on Wednesday. I wanted 5 necklaces. They were all safety pinned at 3 different points onto a velvet card. Rather than unpin 15 safety pins, I handed the whole card to the lady and said, “I want all these.” She says, “Great!” and continues her conversation with the old man complaining about what his new hearing aid is going to cost him: the lonely old man who goes to antique stores because he knows the people behind the counter are bored and will listen to his stories because they have very few customers. Then I pick out the 8 gilded Italian wall hangings. “I want all these.” And 6 bracelets. When it came time to pay, she had added it all up. I have my debit card out. And I watch her start wrapping things. This is a store within a giant antique mall. So I say, “Why don’t you just run my card now, I’ll plow through the third floor of the store, pay them, load my car, and come back and collect my bags.” She thought I was rude, but cooperated. And I make little apologies… “Sorry, but working through this whole store is a huge time commitment….” And, “Well you know how us dealers are… We can’t stand still when there are things to look at.” So I finish the shopping job, come back to collect my bags. I got home and a whole bag of stuff was missing. THANKS FOR GIVING YOUR ONE GOOD CUSTOMER THAT DAY SUCH AMAZING AND ATTENTIVE SERVICE. This is why I tell my employees not to chit-chat and talk up the customers. The one you want to pay attention to is the one with their wallet out. And I know you appreciate it.

OK, enough ranting… so I had a great weekend last weekend, and for all intensive purposes, on Wednesday I was rolling in it. So I went a-spending. I finally got around to balancing my checkbook today, before I paypalled the flea my weekly rent. Woah! I was in the red. At 4:30 I realized I would need to dip into my line of credit, known as Mom. “Mom, can I borrow money til Monday? I’m really sorry I was such a crab when you came over unannounced earlier this week.” She forgave me, I swallowed my pride and blew off all my work, and headed for Tiverton. I bought a lot of stuff on Wednesday. And I passed a consignment shop on the way. And I wrestle with the part of myself that makes reasonable decisions. I batted it out of the park the last time I went there. I have no money, no room, no time, and no NEED for more things. But I went in. And found the best piece of carved Bakelite I’ve ever had. It wasn’t very much money. Look, I’m sorry I take advantage of people new to the business. But she’s happy to see me. I spent $160! And I’ll be back every week. So check out the Bakelite palm tree pin with carved pineapples. Mom was happy to lend an extra $160. And she liked the pin. Honestly, my mom was proud of me for overextending myself by that much more. She raised a real go-getter.

Ok, the artwork with the mannequin legs sticking up. Mom wouldn’t lend me any money until I went into her gallery co-op and saw her friend’s sculpture. A mannequin in a garbage can. Well there’s a story: I grew up at my mom’s estate auction business. Rick, the sharp looking old Italian man who used to cater to my every whim and fancy, was the auctioneer. I never knew the Rick who told dirty, racist jokes. So Mom tells me, while checking out the sculpture, Rick’s old joke. “Two old Indians walk past a trash can and see a mannequin sticking out upside down. One Indian says to the other, ‘White man crazy. White woman good for 2, 3 more years.” These are my roots, people, and they are sacred to me.

Dear Santa

Dear Santa,
I would say I’ve been a good girl this year, but that’s really your job to decide. I hope I’m on the nice list because I have a long list of wishes (even though my friends and family leave me wanting for nothing.)

I would like an android phone because the camera is way better than my iphone. And a new digital camera for home. Or can you just hire me a professional photographer? I wish I never post a blurry, dark photo again. Until this wish is granted, thanks for putting up with my photography skills.

Some more Australian Scent all natural, so pure you could eat it, healthy, eco-friendly bar soap would be nice. I wish I could remember what my favorite flavor is.

I’d like oysters on Christmas Eve. And more oyster farmers. Oyster beds keep the water clean.

I’d like a fuel efficient, safe, reliable vehicle to get back and forth to Brooklyn. Or at least a repair bill on my Outback that I can manage. Vanna White doesn’t do so well in the snow.

I would like an open bar holiday party for me and my flea friends. Oh wait! I already have that. Thanks Eric!

I wouldn’t mind some organic, fair-traded chocolate in my stocking.

I wish everybody had friends like Amy. And I wish everybody could see Amy’s collection of vintage bar glasses. Amazing.

I wish every little boy and girl got a bunch of appliances from the thrift store for Christmas, and a bunch of tools to take them apart and rebuild them. Now THAT’S an educational toy.

Could you give everybody on your list the gift of understanding HANDMADE? Jessica DeCarlo is a true silversmith and her work CANNOT be compared to any other retail jewelry.

I don’t need a new card case. The one I bought from City Bitz 4 years ago has outlived 12 purses.

I would like a winter CSA for Christmas so I don’t have to buy vegetables from all over the planet.

I wish for an employee who will work for me for a whole year.

I wish it was already Saturday night so Ms. Papushka and I could be clinking glasses over how many vintage Gucci purses and dinosaur earrings we sold.

I wish I knew who was on your naughty list. I think this world needs greater transparency of naughty lists. The naughty kids shouldn’t even get lumps of coal because we really don’t need to be promoting the coal industry. And I think the naughty kids have more than their fair share of everything anyway.

I wish that owls will never ever ever go out of style. I think Athena, the Greek Goddess of Wisdom, was the first hipster to rock an owl.

I wish for repeat customers! I love my customers!

I wish that for the future people can just talk about the holidays, Christmas, the shopping season, whatever it is that we’re doing right now, without having to trip over their words and worry about offending people. To my Non-Christian readers, I hope you don’t mind me talking about Christmas. Santa, please find a way for me, and the rest of the world, to just get around this issue for good. By the way, I’m a devout Flea Marketist. Every Sunday.

I wish that every girl who walks into George and Rafael’s booth and boutique spends as much money on jewelry as she spent on her purse.

Can I have more customers like Annie Jackson? Please? Can Annie Jackson have more customers like Annie Jackson?

I wish people didn’t hate on vintage fur. The damage has been done. You might as well look glamorous. Just avoid buying new things with fur on them.

I wish people would call Russell for flea market deliveries! 917 645 3381. Fast, friendly, reliable, affordable.

I wish that nobody was ever lonely on the holidays.

I wish I sell all my vintage Christmas Cards. That would be a recycling accomplishment.

I wish that my customers could figure out who to pay at the flea market. My signs that say, “Turn around and shout, ‘Susan,’” aren’t enough. Thanks Alphaville for handling the overflow!

I wish I could hang out with the Val from King’s County Salvage more. All day every day at work isn’t enough.

I wish they made more costume jewelry in Rhode Island again. There used to be tons of great jobs in Rhode Island, and a beautiful product to be proud of.

I wish Angela Spencer of Angela Spencer’s Irresistible Stuff (ASIS) has a better 2012 than 2011.

Santa, can you make it so my friends make more money than me at the Flea this December? I know, that’s going to be REALLY tough, but see what you can do :P

I wish that all my customers will sing, “I don’t care if it rains of freezes, long as I got my plastic Jesus,” when they see the pop up book nativity scene with the plastic baby Jesus in my booth, or any other plastic religious item ever.

My final wish, Santa, and, I know this has been a tall order… I wish for less plastic this Christmas. Less credit card debt for everybody, more real, more homegrown, more family, more recycled, more songs… more, “Plastic Jesus,” less plastic, Santa.

Big Deals

There are so many significant events to talk about! Where to begin? Big show in Brimfield coming up, last weekend’s weather, I’m actually going to work in Brooklyn this weekend, the days are numbered for the historical Garage Flea Market (last of the even more historical 26th St Flea Market collective in Manhattan), and I have a collection of really big things to sell. You saw that already though. Everyone watches the slide show. And the most awesome people read the text under it.

OK, I only went to Brooklyn Flea myself once in the month of August, but I’ve been shopping nonstop. Translation: I have a big collection of big things. And a lot of smaller things. I have a lot of things, and it’s time to get serious about selling them. Basically I’m packed for Brimfield now, but Brimfield is getting Brooklyn’s sloppy seconds. That’s how you manage 4 days of selling within 8 days.

About Brimfield: I’ll be in J and J, C7, Friday and Saturday, September 9 and 10. This will finally be a permanent spot for me. And, I’m teaming up with Kings County Salvage! My darling Bk Flea bud, Val, is going to split my spot with me. She drives a shark van. Gotta love girls who drive vans. And paint them to look like sharks. Val deals in wholesale rustic storage and industrial. She’s an inspiration to most of us at the Flea. I think Brimfield will be psyched too.

How about that Irene? Well, my basement didn’t flood, I only lost power for 36 hours, and there was a bona fide shipwreck on the beach in front of my house to provide a full 2 days of entertainment. It appears some people really got nailed, and my heart goes out to them. I honestly shouldn’t have stayed here on the beach, as it’s really a flood zone. I wanted to be here to save the inventory in the basement if necessary. I was having visions of my whole street paved in the costume jewelry that flooded out of my basement. Thankfully, there was only a shipwreck, and no undersea treasures. I hope you enjoy the photos of the crane putting the boat back in the water. We sure did.

Last weekend’s Brooklyn Flea cancellation should be regarded as historic. It was the first time the flea was officially cancelled in 4 seasons. Big deal? Everything was cancelled? Well as late as Thursday, all the vendors were notified that they were NOT to cancel based on the forecast. Crazy, right? Well, here’s why I bring it up. It’s one of the things that makes the Brooklyn Flea awesome. The management puts a lot of pressure on the vendors to keep showing up consistently every weekend. It drives us nuts. I hired help to keep up with the grind. But here’s what it means for you: successful vendors who have a successful product at a tried and true price point are at the market every weekend. Flea markets struggle with consistency, especially new markets. That’s why the fold so often. The Brooklyn Flea vendors have been showing up and improving their game for 4 seasons now. You get to shop from people who know what they’re doing. It’s a SALE, not a SHOW. The Brooklyn Flea is for real, and that’s why its fame is spreading and people keep coming back.

Now, that I’ve talked up the Brooklyn Flea, I’m going to insist that you shop at the Garage in Manhattan before they close. Their lease is being extended 1 week at a time now. It’s the last of the historic Chelsea Flea Markets, and its days are numbered. Heather Karlie blogs about it here. I learned the business at the Garage. I set up in Chelsea from 2001-2008, both indoor and outdoor. This is getting to be a jumbo blog post, so I'm going to put off blogging about trying to back a full size cargo van up a garage ramp, with modern sharks shining flashlights into the windows, everybody shouting at me and fine art and antiques set up 8” away from either side of my tires. Next time!

A Slide Show is Worth 1000 Words

Somehow, I don't have much to say today.... Must be the heat. One little fun fact: I just found out that both "collectible," and "collectable," are acceptable spellings. So all you collect-A-ble people, forgive me for making fun of you. I can't stop firefox from underlining it in red though. But your iphone won't autocorrect either spelling.

Overboard

Ahoy! Lately, I've been going overboard in both the literal and proverbial sense. I had two whole gorgeous sunny weekends off at home! I've been busy sailing the latest addition to my armada of outdated boats. The Sailfish is even less stable than the Sunfish, and both are classified as "bathing suit boats." Going overboard is part of the deal :) When I'm not sailing, I've been buying everything in sight. So I'm over-extending my working capital, overstocking, and my basement is overflowing. The forecast is rain for this weekend, but clearly I'm not afraid of getting wet, and I can't abide this stuff staying up here in RI, when all the people who want it are down there in Brooklyn. So please email if you see something you want. If the market is rained out, I might be peddling out of my van.

A few points of interest:
• May 2011 Brimfield was my best show ever in 12 years of marketing.
• If you want the Italian wall fixture with prisms, please email. Those things are sharp and scrape up everything else in the van, so I’ll only bring it if I know I have a sale. It has a plug! No wiring needed.
• Let me know if you’re into vintage watch tools. I will probably have some available.
• An army of GI Joe’s commandeered my living room. They’re on eBay. 1990s, not vintage.
• I hope you don’t mind the photos of stuff I keep for myself. It’s salesmanship by example. I get excited about keeping some treasures for me too :)
• Unfortunately I pulled out of the Sowa Vintage market. Overextended. Sorry Boston.
• I need to hire a woman or man with a van. Job description: storage unit to market in the morning…market to storage unit in the evening. $100 per day.
• Forgive me for keeping the doctor’s office furnishings away from you so long. Sometimes I just drag my feet about transportation logistics.
• I’ve hired a new necklace minion! Welcome Xenia!
• Terri, The Treasurer, says you’ve all been lovely to work with and she wants to keep the Brooklyn Flea in her life. Wow!
• Jewelry has dropped dead on eBay, so for the rest of the summer, the Flea Market shoppers are getting first crack at the signed and highly collectible stuff.
• I’m reading The Big Oyster by Mark Kurlansky. It’s a history of New York City told through the history of the oyster beds. Fascinating. Oh, I have time to read. Thank you, Necklace Minions!
• The yard sales have been great this season too. But I really hate yard saling. It’s such a gamble…
• I’m knee deep in necklaces.
• You have a friend with a house on the beach. Remember that :)
• I’ll personally be at the market every third weekend this summer. When I’m not there, I’ll be sailing, spending every last dollar on necklaces, figuring out what to do with the latest van full of furniture and binging on oysters. In short, going overboard.